Anti-wobble spray head for pull-out faucet

ABSTRACT

In a pull-out spray head faucet or hand shower an insert is disposed in the tube spout to keep the pull-out spray head or wand from wobbling when it is seated in the tube spout. The insert is generally tubular and is shaped and sized to fit into the tube spout. The insert has two opposed tabs on the interior walls which engage two wings on an adapter which is mounted in the wand, thereby securing the adapter and wand against wobble.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The instant invention relates to faucets or showers havingpull-out spray heads or wands, particularly to faucets having pull-outspray heads wherein the pull-out spray heads are securely and firmlyseated in the spout or hub with reduced play or wobble.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Faucets or showers having pull-out spray heads are well known.The use of kitchen and lavatory faucets with pull-out spray heads hasbecome more widespread. In these faucets or showers the pull-out sprayheads or wands are normally seated in the spout or hub of the faucet.Generally, an adapter which is mounted in and extends rearwardly for ashort distance out of the handle of the wand is inserted into the hub.The adapter receives the hose and, unless it is formed to be sized justright, it generally does not fit perfectly and tightly into the hub.This results in there being some vertical play or wobble in the adapterand in the wand in which it is disposed. Also, the wand does not fitflush into the hub, and there is an unsightly space between the wand andthe hub at the top of the junction of the hub and wand. The presentinvention remedies this problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] According to the present invention an insert is provided in thetube spout which receives the adapter which is mounted in the pull-outspray head or wand of a pull-out faucet or hand shower. This keeps thewand from wobbling when the wand is inserted into and seated in the tubespout. The insert is comprised of a tubular member sized to fit into thetube spout. The insert has a pair of interior angled tabs that cooperatewith corresponding mating wings on the adapter which is seated in thewand. The angled tabs engage with the mating wings on the adapter andforce the adapter down thereby more securely retaining the adapter inthe insert.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004]FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the pull-out sprayhead or wand, adapter, insert and tube spout;

[0005]FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the adapter;

[0006]FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the adapter;

[0007]FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the adapter;

[0008]FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of the insert;

[0009]FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the insert;

[0010]FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the insert taken along line 7-7 ofFIG. 6;

[0011]FIG. 7a is a front cross-sectional view of the insert disposed inthe tube spout;

[0012]FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the pull-out spray head or wandinserted into the tube spout;

[0013]FIG. 8a is a side sectional view taken along line 8 a-8 a in FIG.8 showing the pull-out spray head fully inserted into the tube spout;

[0014]FIG. 8b is a view similar to FIG. 8a showing the adapter andinsert but with the spray head only partially inserted into the tubespout;

[0015]FIG. 8c is a view similar to FIG. 8b but with the spray headfurther out of the tube spout than in FIG. 8b;

[0016]FIG. 9 is an enlarged, side sectional view taken along line 9 inFIG. 8c showing the adapter in the insert;

[0017]FIG. 10 is an enlarged, side sectional view taken along line 10 inFIG. 8b showing the adapter in the insert;

[0018]FIG. 11 is an enlarged, side sectional view taken along line 11 inFIG. 8a showing the adapter in the insert;

[0019]FIG. 12 is a top plan view of the pull-out spray head insertedinto the tube spout;

[0020]FIG. 13 is a side sectional view of the pull-out spray head fullyinserted into the tube spout; and

[0021]FIG. 14 is an enlarged, side sectional view taken along line 14 inFIG. 13 showing the adapter fully in the insert;

[0022]FIG. 15 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of the insert.In this embodiment the insert has no spring extension tab.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] The insert 50 of the instant invention is utilized to stabilizeand prevent or reduce wobble or playoff a pull-out spray head or wand 10when it is inserted into a tube spout 20. More specifically, an adapter30 is mounted in the wand 10 as best seen in FIGS. 8a-8 c. The adaptermay be comprised of any suitable material, e.g., metal such as copper,brass, steel or plastic. The adapter 30 is comprised of a front end 32and a back end 37. As best illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 the adapter 30has a forwardly extending flexible finger 33 having a downwardlyprojecting button 34 at its front end 36. The finger 33 is located atthe bottom of the adapter and is free or unattached at its front orforward end 36. At its back end 35 the finger 33 is attached to theadapter 30. As illustrated in FIGS. 8a-8 c the button 34 fits into acomplementary shaped opening 12 in the bottom 11 of the wand near therear or back 14 of the wand and retains or locks the adapter 30 in thewand 10.

[0024] The rear of the adapter 37 has two grooves 38, 39 in which areseated O-rings 40, 41. There are also two outwardly extendingprotrusions or wings 40, 41 on opposite sides at the rear of the adapter30 to the rear or downstream of grooves 38, 39. The rear 37 of theadapter 30 extends rearwardly out of the wand 10 and is shaped to fitinto the insert 50.

[0025] The insert 50, as best shown in FIGS. 5-7 a, is a hollowgenerally tubular member. Insert 50 is sized and shaped to fit into tubespout 20. In one embodiment, as best illustrated in FIG. 7a, the insert50 has a substantially elliptical cross-section. In the interior of theinsert 50 are disposed two tabs 55, 57. The tabs 55, 57, as best seen inFIG. 7a, are disposed on opposite side walls of the insert 10. In oneembodiment at least the bottom surfaces 56, 58 of the tabs 55, 57 areangled. Upon insertion of the adapter 30 into the insert 50 the wings40, 41 on the adapter 30 engage with the tabs 55, 57, more particularlywith the angled bottom surfaces 56, 58 of the insert, which forces theadapter 30 in a downward direction. This reduces wobble as there is noor little clearance between two of the surfaces.

[0026] The O-rings 40, 41 in the adapter serve, inter alia, to provide agood, snug fit between the adapter 30 and the insert 50, and to minimizewobble or play even more. The front O-ring 40 is centered to provide aconsistent fit with the insert 50 while the adapter forces the bottomportion of the O-ring further than is the case with a typical seal. Thisprovides an upward load between tabs 55, 57 and wings 40, 41 providesstability and minimizes wobble. More particularly, the wings 40, 41 ofangled tabs 55, 57 force the entire wand 10, including the adapter 30,downward compressing the bottom half of the O-rings 40, 41 whilereducing the squeeze or compressive force on the top part of the O-rings40, 41. This has a line-to-line fit on the wings 40, 41 with increasedloading on the lower section of the O-rings 40, 41 to minimize droop.Because this results in only one direction for a gap the wobble isgreatly reduced.

[0027] Located on the bottom of insert 50 is a downwardly projectingbutton 51. As best illustrated in FIG. 7a button 51 fits into anaperture 21 in the bottom of tube spout 20 and helps to retain andproperly locate insert 50 in tube spout 20.

[0028] At the front of the insert is a circumferentially extending lip52. As best illustrated in FIG. 11 the lip 52 extends radially from thefront of insert 50 sufficiently to come between tube spout 20 and wand10.

[0029] In one embodiment of the insert 30, as illustrated in FIGS. 1,5-7, 8 a-11, 13 and 14, there is a tab extension 58 provided at the toprear of insert 50. This tab extension 58 engages the inside top surface25 of the tube spout 20. This forces button 51 into aperture 25 on theunderside of tube spout 20. This is best illustrated in FIG. 14. Thisembodiment eliminates the need for adhesives applied on the insert 50 tokeep the insert in the tube spout 20.

[0030] In another embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 15, the insert 30,does not have a tab extension 58. In this embodiment there may be a needfor adhesives to keep the insert 50 in the tube spout 20. In anotherembodiment of FIG. 15 the insert 50 may be made out of stainless steeland be held in place in the tube spout 20 by an interference fit. Inthis embodiment the bottom button 51 may be eliminated.

[0031] While certain embodiments of the invention have been describedfor purposes of illustration, it is to be understood that there may bevarious embodiments and modifications within the general scope of theinvention.

We claim:
 1. In a pull-out spray head faucet or hand shower comprising atube spout and a pull-out spray head removably disposed in said tubespout, said pull-out spray head having a handle with an adapter disposedin said handle, a portion of said adapter extending rearwardly out ofand beyond the handle of said pull-out spray head, said adapter having apair of outwardly extending wings on the outer wall forming saidrearwardly extending portion, the improvement comprising a substantiallytubular insert being disposed in said tube spout, said insert having apair of tabs on said inner wall which are adapted to engage said wingson said adapter and thereby reduce wobble of said pull-out spray headwhen it is inserted into said tube spout.
 2. The pull-out spray headfaucet of claim 1 wherein said insert has a button on the bottom thereofwhich engages an aperture in the bottom of said tube spout therebykeeping said insert in position.
 3. The pull-out spray head faucet ofclaim 1 wherein said tabs are angled.
 4. The pull-out spray head ofclaim 3 wherein said insert has a tab extension on the top rear thereof.5. The pull-out spray head of claim 1 wherein said insert has a tabextension on the top rear thereof.
 6. The pull-out spray head of claim 1wherein said insert is shaped and sized to fit into the mount of saidtube spout.
 7. The pull-out spray head of claim 7 wherein said inserthas a substantially elliptical cross-section.
 8. The pull-out spray headof claim 1 wherein the insert is comprised of stainless steel.
 9. Thepull-out spray head of claim 8 wherein there is an interference fitbetween the insert and the tube spout.